A young child is shown presenting a bright red apple to an older person, illustrating the action of giving.

den

VerbA2highly irregular ar

give (subjunctive)?Used for wishes, needs, or uncertainty (they/you all formal)

Also:let them give?Used as a formal command (ustedes/ellos),may they give?Used in formal expressions of desire

Quick Reference

infinitivedar

gerunddando

past Participledado

📝 In Action

Es necesario que los estudiantes den sus nombres antes de entrar.

It is necessary that the students give their names before entering.

¡Que den la bienvenida a los nuevos vecinos!

May they give a welcome to the new neighbors!

Denme cinco minutos, por favor. (Ustedes command)

Give me five minutes, please. (You all, formal command)

No creo que nos den el permiso para construir.

I don't believe they will give us permission to build.

Word Connections

Synonyms

otorguen (grant)
entreguen (deliver)

Antonyms

quiten (take away)
reciban (receive)

Common Collocations

que les den una oportunidad – that they give them an opportunity
den la vuelta – turn around (command)

💡 Grammar Points

The Subjunctive Trigger

'Den' is used when the main part of the sentence expresses a wish, doubt, necessity, or emotion about what 'they' or 'you all' must do. Look for trigger phrases like 'Es importante que...' or 'Dudo que...'

Formal Command

'Den' is the formal way to tell a group of people ('ustedes') to 'Give!' or to start an action: '¡Den un paso adelante!' (Take a step forward!)

❌ Common Pitfalls

Confusing Subjunctive with Indicative

Mistake: "Dudo que ellos dan el dinero. (Using the regular present form 'dan')"

Correction: Dudo que ellos den el dinero. (The doubt requires the special verb form 'den'.)

⭐ Usage Tips

Pronunciation Check

The vowel in 'den' is a short 'e' sound, similar to the 'e' in the English word 'bed'.

Remembering the Irregularity

The verb 'dar' (to give) is highly irregular. Just memorize the pattern: 'doy' (I give), 'dé' (I/he/she/it gives - subjunctive), and 'den' (they/you all give - subjunctive/command).

🔄 Conjugations

indicative

present

él/ella/ustedda

yodoy

túdas

ellos/ellas/ustedesdan

nosotrosdamos

vosotrosdais

imperfect

él/ella/usteddaba

yodaba

túdabas

ellos/ellas/ustedesdaban

nosotrosdábamos

vosotrosdabais

preterite

él/ella/usteddio

yodi

túdiste

ellos/ellas/ustedesdieron

nosotrosdimos

vosotrosdisteis

subjunctive

present

él/ella/usteddé

yodé

túdes

ellos/ellas/ustedesden

nosotrosdemos

vosotrosdeis

imperfect

él/ella/usteddiera/diese

yodiera/diese

túdieras/dieses

ellos/ellas/ustedesdieran/diesen

nosotrosdiéramos/diésemos

vosotrosdierais/dieseis

View All Tenses & Moods →

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: den

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence correctly uses 'den' as a command?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

dar(to give) - verb

donación(donation) - noun

dador(giver) - noun

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if I should use 'den' or 'dan'?

'Dan' (present indicative) is used for facts and certainty: 'Ellos dan clases' (They give classes). 'Den' (present subjunctive) is used for wishes, doubts, emotions, or formal commands: 'Quiero que den un ejemplo' (I want them to give an example). If there is uncertainty or a desire involved, use 'den'.

Is 'den' a command form?

Yes, 'den' is the formal command form for a group of people ('ustedes'). For example, 'Den sus opiniones' means 'Give your opinions!'